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  <title>NaNoWriMo</title>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/NaNoWriMo"/>
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  <updated>2007-11-15T13:51:47-05:00</updated>
  <entry>
    <title>#NaNoWriMo update</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3290" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3290</id>
    <published>2008-11-11T19:28:58-05:00</published>
    <updated>2008-11-11T19:28:58-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>So far today, I’ve only gotten out slightly over a thousand words on my novel.  To pull this off, I’m going to need to increase this substantially.  Yet the novel is taking on a life of its own.  The other night, I had a dream, in which people’s feet were turning black and swelling up.  It struck me that this must be part of the plague predicted in the novel.</p>
<p>As I work on the biology of the novel, I frequently ask Kim for pointers to make sure that I’m still making sense, and at least on somewhat solid footing scientifically.  However, today, I started writing about the travels of one of the characters.  I won’t say whether or not he is a key character, because many of the characters are fighting for my attention to be key characters.</p>
<p>With this, I’ve needed to research a little bit, the history of the potato and the coffee bean.  I also need to be much more up to speed on the geography and history of Ethiopia, Yemen, Turkey, Indonesia, perhaps some additional places in Africa, such as Kenya, Uganda, and the Congo, although those stops may play minor roles.  Then, I need to be much more versed in Columbia and Peru.  In need to be able to write much more intelligently and coherently about radical Islamic clerics as well as early to middle archaic Peruvian culture and archeology.  I could get lost in all the research.</p>
<p>So, if this sounds interesting and you’re an expert in any of those areas, please let me know.  I can always use good sources and informed readers.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>So far today, I’ve only gotten out slightly over a thousand words on my novel.  To pull this off, I’m going to need to increase this substantially.  Yet the novel is taking on a life of its own.  The other night, I had a dream, in which people’s feet were turning black and swelling up.  It struck me that this must be part of the plague predicted in the novel.</p>
<p>As I work on the biology of the novel, I frequently ask Kim for pointers to make sure that I’m still making sense, and at least on somewhat solid footing scientifically.  However, today, I started writing about the travels of one of the characters.  I won’t say whether or not he is a key character, because many of the characters are fighting for my attention to be key characters.</p>
<p>With this, I’ve needed to research a little bit, the history of the potato and the coffee bean.  I also need to be much more up to speed on the geography and history of Ethiopia, Yemen, Turkey, Indonesia, perhaps some additional places in Africa, such as Kenya, Uganda, and the Congo, although those stops may play minor roles.  Then, I need to be much more versed in Columbia and Peru.  In need to be able to write much more intelligently and coherently about radical Islamic clerics as well as early to middle archaic Peruvian culture and archeology.  I could get lost in all the research.</p>
<p>So, if this sounds interesting and you’re an expert in any of those areas, please let me know.  I can always use good sources and informed readers.</p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Another Random Day, IPv6 and NaNoWriMo</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3288" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3288</id>
    <published>2008-11-10T22:21:16-05:00</published>
    <updated>2008-11-10T22:21:16-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <category term="Technology" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Today was another day of random geeky and NaNoWriMo stuff.  I helped configure a Windows 2008 Server.  It provided a good opportunity to test out some more IPv6 stuff.</p>
<p>Out of the box, Windows Server 2008 seems to be working with IPv6 and I briefly connected via IPv6 from the Windows Server 2008 server through a couple IPv6 tunnels to my Linux box.  I access both web pages and used SSH.  Google Chrome and Firefox both connected to the Apache web server that I have running and PuTTY, a windows client that supports SSH and IPv6 connected to the sshd on my linux box.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the IPv6 tunnel that the Windows 2008 Server seems to be using is slow and flaky.  I kept dropping connections.  I want to see if I can find a better tunnel for the Windows 2008 Server.</p>
<p>This took, traveling, and random house keeping tasks took up much of the day.  I did manage to visit my quota of blogs today, but didn’t end up leaving as many comments as I normally would.  I also managed to get a little farther in my novel.  It is going well, but today I didn’t even make 1,667 words, let alone what I figure I need to do to make up for lost time.  Tomorrow, I have some personal issues to deal with, but hopefully I’ll get more interesting writing done, both here and in the novel.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Today was another day of random geeky and NaNoWriMo stuff.  I helped configure a Windows 2008 Server.  It provided a good opportunity to test out some more IPv6 stuff.</p>
<p>Out of the box, Windows Server 2008 seems to be working with IPv6 and I briefly connected via IPv6 from the Windows Server 2008 server through a couple IPv6 tunnels to my Linux box.  I access both web pages and used SSH.  Google Chrome and Firefox both connected to the Apache web server that I have running and PuTTY, a windows client that supports SSH and IPv6 connected to the sshd on my linux box.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the IPv6 tunnel that the Windows 2008 Server seems to be using is slow and flaky.  I kept dropping connections.  I want to see if I can find a better tunnel for the Windows 2008 Server.</p>
<p>This took, traveling, and random house keeping tasks took up much of the day.  I did manage to visit my quota of blogs today, but didn’t end up leaving as many comments as I normally would.  I also managed to get a little farther in my novel.  It is going well, but today I didn’t even make 1,667 words, let alone what I figure I need to do to make up for lost time.  Tomorrow, I have some personal issues to deal with, but hopefully I’ll get more interesting writing done, both here and in the novel.</p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>#nanowrimo The Week Ahead and The Week Behind</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3285" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3285</id>
    <published>2008-11-08T12:11:34-05:00</published>
    <updated>2008-11-08T12:11:34-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="Conferences" />
    <category term="Connecticut" />
    <category term="Law" />
    <category term="Media" />
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Last week was a difficult week for me to write.  I spent Tuesday electioneering and then going down to the NPR Studios in Washington to blog about the election results.  Since then, I’ve been trying to catch up on my sleep, fight a cold, and try to make sense of the week that was.</p>
<p>This coming week is going to be equally challenging.  I have a tentative client visit on Monday, some personal issues to deal with on Tuesday, and some important blogging events the rest of the week.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, at 10 AM, in front of the New Haven City Hall at 165 Church Street, Barb and Robin Levine-Ritterman of New Haven, who were plaintiffs in the Kerrigan case will be applying for a marriage license.  <a href= http://www.lmfct.org/>Love Makes a Family</a> is encouraging people to join in the celebrations on this historic day.</p>
<p>Then, at 2:30 in the evening, there will be oral arguments in <a href=https://ecf.ctd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/DktRpt.pl?78560>Doninger v. Niehoff et al</a> on a motion for a summary judgment.  It should be interesting to hear the arguments in light of emails that have been disclosed as part of Freedom of Information Requests, which the Plaintiffs claim demonstrate that one of the defendants lied on the stand.</p>
<p>As a side note, the link to the document listed above is only available to people who have <a href=http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/>PACER</a> accounts.  Pages accessed this way are charged $.08 per page.  I include this link and a comment about it because, I believe that as part of open government, which I hope the new administration will be bringing, we should do away with fees like those on Pacer and make information about our government more readily available.</p>
<p>On Thursday, there will be a conference at Central Connecticut State University on <a href=http://www.ccsu.edu/conferences/journalism.htm> Journalism-- Where We Are; Where We’re Going</a>.  Speakers include several friends from online media, and I hope to make it up to the conference.</p>
<p>Friday, I will be speaking in Second Life about the relationship between Second Life and other online media.  Then on Saturday, the Investigative Reports and Editors will be running a workshop at Southern Connecticut State University entitled <a href=http://www.ire.org/training/watchdog/NewHavenCT08.php> Watchdog Workshop</a> which will combine elements of two different workshops.  The IRE is a great organization and I hope to be able to attend.  Unfortunately, I only heard about the workshop after online registration had closed so I am not clear if I will be able to attend.</p>
<p>As with last week, the coming week doesn’t leave a lot of time for novel writing.  On top of that, my initial idea for my novel just wasn’t coming together.  It was too close to a memoir, and too far from being a novel.  I didn’t find the experience engaging, so I abandoned it.  I’ve started off on a new track, but I’m several days behind now and the writing is hard.  We shall see if I can catch up during a busy schedule.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Last week was a difficult week for me to write.  I spent Tuesday electioneering and then going down to the NPR Studios in Washington to blog about the election results.  Since then, I’ve been trying to catch up on my sleep, fight a cold, and try to make sense of the week that was.</p>
<p>This coming week is going to be equally challenging.  I have a tentative client visit on Monday, some personal issues to deal with on Tuesday, and some important blogging events the rest of the week.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, at 10 AM, in front of the New Haven City Hall at 165 Church Street, Barb and Robin Levine-Ritterman of New Haven, who were plaintiffs in the Kerrigan case will be applying for a marriage license.  <a href= http://www.lmfct.org/>Love Makes a Family</a> is encouraging people to join in the celebrations on this historic day.</p>
<p>Then, at 2:30 in the evening, there will be oral arguments in <a href=https://ecf.ctd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/DktRpt.pl?78560>Doninger v. Niehoff et al</a> on a motion for a summary judgment.  It should be interesting to hear the arguments in light of emails that have been disclosed as part of Freedom of Information Requests, which the Plaintiffs claim demonstrate that one of the defendants lied on the stand.</p>
<p>As a side note, the link to the document listed above is only available to people who have <a href=http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/>PACER</a> accounts.  Pages accessed this way are charged $.08 per page.  I include this link and a comment about it because, I believe that as part of open government, which I hope the new administration will be bringing, we should do away with fees like those on Pacer and make information about our government more readily available.</p>
<p>On Thursday, there will be a conference at Central Connecticut State University on <a href=http://www.ccsu.edu/conferences/journalism.htm> Journalism-- Where We Are; Where We’re Going</a>.  Speakers include several friends from online media, and I hope to make it up to the conference.</p>
<p>Friday, I will be speaking in Second Life about the relationship between Second Life and other online media.  Then on Saturday, the Investigative Reports and Editors will be running a workshop at Southern Connecticut State University entitled <a href=http://www.ire.org/training/watchdog/NewHavenCT08.php> Watchdog Workshop</a> which will combine elements of two different workshops.  The IRE is a great organization and I hope to be able to attend.  Unfortunately, I only heard about the workshop after online registration had closed so I am not clear if I will be able to attend.</p>
<p>As with last week, the coming week doesn’t leave a lot of time for novel writing.  On top of that, my initial idea for my novel just wasn’t coming together.  It was too close to a memoir, and too far from being a novel.  I didn’t find the experience engaging, so I abandoned it.  I’ve started off on a new track, but I’m several days behind now and the writing is hard.  We shall see if I can catch up during a busy schedule.</p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>November</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3267" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/3267</id>
    <published>2008-11-01T09:02:29-04:00</published>
    <updated>2008-11-01T09:02:29-04:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <category term="Politics" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.  For all the saints, who from their labors rest.  Four more days and the election will be over.  It will also be the anniversary of when Kim and I were married and the anniversary of Fiona being baptized.  I will be in Washington to cover the election returns.  NaNoWriMo, and of course, the top EntreCard droppers of the month.  November will be a busy month.</p>
<p>As a kid, we were told to shout Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit out when we first got out of bed at the beginning of each month.  Now, as an older blogger, I like to start the first blog post of each month that way.  It ties blogging back to the stories of childhood, and that is important, I think.</p>
<p>Today is also All Saints day.  It is a holiday in the Christian tradition that I greatly honor.  It is a reminder of all the saints that have gone before.  For All The Saints (Sine Nomine), is one of my favorite hymns typically sung on All Saints Day or the Sunday immediately following.  I flip to an <a href=http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/f/f174.html>online hymnal</a> to find the words and search for a quote to add, yet the hymn is full of so many wonderful verses.  So, I’ve chosen two which capture for me some of the spirit of the hymn and of All Saints Day.</p>
<blockquote><p>
O blest communion, fellowship divine!<br />
we feebly struggle, they in glory shine;<br />
all are one in thee, for all are thine.<br />
Alleluia, Alleluia!</p>
<p>And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,<br />
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,<br />
and hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.<br />
Alleluia, Alleluia!
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, the strife is fierce, especially as we lead up to election day, and the election warfare has seemed very long indeed.  Over the next few days, we will be doing our final push of what we can to get out the vote.  There are difficult questions.  Where do we spend our time?  Do we drive up to New Hampshire as a key battle ground state?  Do we call from our homes or at gatherings?  Do we focus on races that are more local, like a very important congressional race in the neighboring district, a key state senate race a district or two away, or a state house race in our own back yard?</p>
<p>For me, I plan on voting first thing on Tuesday.  I would think about voting earlier, but Connecticut is part of the minority of states that do not have early voting.  After voting, I plan on poll standing and talking to voters who have not thought enough yet about the state legislative races or the questions on the ballot.  Then, I will hop on a train down to Washington where I will blog the election returns from NPR studios.</p>
<p>There is a group of bloggers that will be there and I’m honored to be part of the group.  Some of the bloggers are writers I have read for a long time and have great respect for, such as <a href= http://www.culturekitchen.com>Liza Sabater of Culture Kitchen</a>, <a  href=http://andersonatlarge.typepad.com>Faye Anderson of Anderson at Large</a>, <a href= http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/>Jill Zimon of Writes Like She Talks</a>, <a href=http://www.blogher.org>Laurie White of BlogHer</a> and <a href=http://utterz.com>Jill Foster doing Mobile podcasts from Utterli</a>.  There are several other bloggers that I look forward reading more of and then getting to meet in Washington.</p>
<p>It has seemed strange to go down to Washington to blog.  After all, I can probably blog better from my office at home.  I have many more resources at hand.  Yet there is something special about gathering with other writers.  This leads me to two other topics for the month.</p>
<p>National Novel Writing Month, or <a href=http://www.nanowrimo.org/>NaNoWriMo</a> starts today.  I’ve been to one NaNoWriMo kick off dinner, and I expect that over the coming month I’ll find a few chances to gather with other people trying to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November.  I wrote a novel last year for NaNoWriMo.  I’ve done a bit of editing of the novel and it sits quietly on my hard disk waiting for more editing or for me to decide what to do with it next.  It will have to wait.  Soon after I finish this morning’s blog post, I will start writing my 2008 NaNoWriMo novel.  This year’s novel has the working title ‘Starting Over’, which will be a fictionalized semi-autobiographical recounting of my divorce, career change, foreclosure on my house and bankruptcy.</p>
<p>As to the top EntreCard droppers on me during the month of November, several of the blogs are ones that I regularly read, and I suspect are found on many similar lists, like <a href=http://worldwidetravelblog.blogspot.com>Worldwide Travel Blog</a>, <a href=http://ambassador1o1.braveblog.com>Shepard Family Values</a>, <a href=http://www.veritable.com>verITableLIFE</a>, and <a href= http://turnipofpower.com/2008/10/31/social-networking-contest-update/>Turnip of Power, which is running a Social Networking Contest</a>.  I’m normally not a big fan of all the contests designed to get links back to a website, but Turnip of Power is a very good blog which I enjoy reading.</p>
<p>Some of the other top droppers for October include <a href=http://mjgolch.blogspot.com>rambling stuff</a> with a beautiful picture of a hammer dulcimer at the top of the page, <a href=http://chungyenchang.com>Weather for Headphones</a>, which is a great title for a blog, and <a href=http://kitchenretro.blogspot.com>Kitchen Retro</a>.  Kitchen Retro has lots of great memories from yesteryear.  The author of Kitchen Retro is also participating in NaNoWriMo this year, so we’ll see if they remain a top dropper during November.</p>
<p>Other blogs include <a href=http://technicallyeasy.net>Technically Easy</a> and <a href=http://kloggers-randomramblings.blogspot.com>Random Ramblings</a>.</p>
<p>So, with all my shout-outs for the beginning of November completed, it is time to begin “Starting Over”.  Wish me luck.  If you want to read parts of the novel as I write it and offer constructive comments, please let me know.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.  For all the saints, who from their labors rest.  Four more days and the election will be over.  It will also be the anniversary of when Kim and I were married and the anniversary of Fiona being baptized.  I will be in Washington to cover the election returns.  NaNoWriMo, and of course, the top EntreCard droppers of the month.  November will be a busy month.</p>
<p>As a kid, we were told to shout Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit out when we first got out of bed at the beginning of each month.  Now, as an older blogger, I like to start the first blog post of each month that way.  It ties blogging back to the stories of childhood, and that is important, I think.</p>
<p>Today is also All Saints day.  It is a holiday in the Christian tradition that I greatly honor.  It is a reminder of all the saints that have gone before.  For All The Saints (Sine Nomine), is one of my favorite hymns typically sung on All Saints Day or the Sunday immediately following.  I flip to an <a href=http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/f/f174.html>online hymnal</a> to find the words and search for a quote to add, yet the hymn is full of so many wonderful verses.  So, I’ve chosen two which capture for me some of the spirit of the hymn and of All Saints Day.</p>
<blockquote><p>
O blest communion, fellowship divine!<br />
we feebly struggle, they in glory shine;<br />
all are one in thee, for all are thine.<br />
Alleluia, Alleluia!</p>
<p>And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,<br />
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,<br />
and hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.<br />
Alleluia, Alleluia!
</p></blockquote>
<p>Yes, the strife is fierce, especially as we lead up to election day, and the election warfare has seemed very long indeed.  Over the next few days, we will be doing our final push of what we can to get out the vote.  There are difficult questions.  Where do we spend our time?  Do we drive up to New Hampshire as a key battle ground state?  Do we call from our homes or at gatherings?  Do we focus on races that are more local, like a very important congressional race in the neighboring district, a key state senate race a district or two away, or a state house race in our own back yard?</p>
<p>For me, I plan on voting first thing on Tuesday.  I would think about voting earlier, but Connecticut is part of the minority of states that do not have early voting.  After voting, I plan on poll standing and talking to voters who have not thought enough yet about the state legislative races or the questions on the ballot.  Then, I will hop on a train down to Washington where I will blog the election returns from NPR studios.</p>
<p>There is a group of bloggers that will be there and I’m honored to be part of the group.  Some of the bloggers are writers I have read for a long time and have great respect for, such as <a href= http://www.culturekitchen.com>Liza Sabater of Culture Kitchen</a>, <a  href=http://andersonatlarge.typepad.com>Faye Anderson of Anderson at Large</a>, <a href= http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/>Jill Zimon of Writes Like She Talks</a>, <a href=http://www.blogher.org>Laurie White of BlogHer</a> and <a href=http://utterz.com>Jill Foster doing Mobile podcasts from Utterli</a>.  There are several other bloggers that I look forward reading more of and then getting to meet in Washington.</p>
<p>It has seemed strange to go down to Washington to blog.  After all, I can probably blog better from my office at home.  I have many more resources at hand.  Yet there is something special about gathering with other writers.  This leads me to two other topics for the month.</p>
<p>National Novel Writing Month, or <a href=http://www.nanowrimo.org/>NaNoWriMo</a> starts today.  I’ve been to one NaNoWriMo kick off dinner, and I expect that over the coming month I’ll find a few chances to gather with other people trying to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November.  I wrote a novel last year for NaNoWriMo.  I’ve done a bit of editing of the novel and it sits quietly on my hard disk waiting for more editing or for me to decide what to do with it next.  It will have to wait.  Soon after I finish this morning’s blog post, I will start writing my 2008 NaNoWriMo novel.  This year’s novel has the working title ‘Starting Over’, which will be a fictionalized semi-autobiographical recounting of my divorce, career change, foreclosure on my house and bankruptcy.</p>
<p>As to the top EntreCard droppers on me during the month of November, several of the blogs are ones that I regularly read, and I suspect are found on many similar lists, like <a href=http://worldwidetravelblog.blogspot.com>Worldwide Travel Blog</a>, <a href=http://ambassador1o1.braveblog.com>Shepard Family Values</a>, <a href=http://www.veritable.com>verITableLIFE</a>, and <a href= http://turnipofpower.com/2008/10/31/social-networking-contest-update/>Turnip of Power, which is running a Social Networking Contest</a>.  I’m normally not a big fan of all the contests designed to get links back to a website, but Turnip of Power is a very good blog which I enjoy reading.</p>
<p>Some of the other top droppers for October include <a href=http://mjgolch.blogspot.com>rambling stuff</a> with a beautiful picture of a hammer dulcimer at the top of the page, <a href=http://chungyenchang.com>Weather for Headphones</a>, which is a great title for a blog, and <a href=http://kitchenretro.blogspot.com>Kitchen Retro</a>.  Kitchen Retro has lots of great memories from yesteryear.  The author of Kitchen Retro is also participating in NaNoWriMo this year, so we’ll see if they remain a top dropper during November.</p>
<p>Other blogs include <a href=http://technicallyeasy.net>Technically Easy</a> and <a href=http://kloggers-randomramblings.blogspot.com>Random Ramblings</a>.</p>
<p>So, with all my shout-outs for the beginning of November completed, it is time to begin “Starting Over”.  Wish me luck.  If you want to read parts of the novel as I write it and offer constructive comments, please let me know.</p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Foreclosure Day</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2882" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2882</id>
    <published>2008-03-29T08:30:32-04:00</published>
    <updated>2008-03-29T08:31:36-04:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="Connecticut" />
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>It is a bright and sunny day, a little bit chilly.  I woke up early, tossing and turning.  Today is foreclosure day.  At noon, the house will be sold in an foreclosure auction.  </p>
<p>I need to head down there soon to let the court appointed auctioneer in so that the house can be shown to any potential bidders.  As I tossed and turned, I thought about how I should write about this.  Blog posts here?  Right now, my mind has settled on a short story.  I’ve wrote parts of it in my head as I tossed and turned.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t a typical foreclosure, but how many of them really are?”</p>
<p>I check my email.  Log in to Second Life to see if there are any messages there that I need to respond to.  It feels like I’m trying to put this off, yet at the same time, I will be glad when it is over.</p>
<p>I need to get ready now.  More later.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>It is a bright and sunny day, a little bit chilly.  I woke up early, tossing and turning.  Today is foreclosure day.  At noon, the house will be sold in an foreclosure auction.  </p>
<p>I need to head down there soon to let the court appointed auctioneer in so that the house can be shown to any potential bidders.  As I tossed and turned, I thought about how I should write about this.  Blog posts here?  Right now, my mind has settled on a short story.  I’ve wrote parts of it in my head as I tossed and turned.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t a typical foreclosure, but how many of them really are?”</p>
<p>I check my email.  Log in to Second Life to see if there are any messages there that I need to respond to.  It feels like I’m trying to put this off, yet at the same time, I will be glad when it is over.</p>
<p>I need to get ready now.  More later.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>TGNaNoWriMoIO</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2640" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2640</id>
    <published>2007-12-02T18:21:36-05:00</published>
    <updated>2007-12-02T18:22:46-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Thanks God, National Novel Writing Month is Over.  Yup.  That’s the party Kim and I went to this afternoon.  We sat in a room with about twenty other NaNoWriters and their significant others and talked about what worked and what didn’t in our novel writing experiences.  We ate Mexican food, joked about “quotation” marks and misused apostrophe’s.  We glanced at the omnipresent televisions in the background and our choice of watching The Nutcracker on Ice, with the great Mice on Ice section, he-man carrying cars and kegs in some bizarre strong-man competition, or wiry men arm wrestling on what must have been the Arm Wresting Sports Network.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the ice was starting to form on the roads at home.  Our ride home was tense, with more slipping and sliding than I would have liked to have seen, yet we got home safely.  Now, we need to tune into WFSB and see if Darren Sweeney will declare a “snow day”.</p>
<p>There is a stereotype of novelists as being slightly eccentric and the lunch, at least for me helped reinforce that stereotype.  Between the jokes, you could here potential themes for more novels than novelists at the table.  It was great fun and inspirations for next year’s novel writing.  I hope some of you consider giving NaNoWriMo a try next year.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Thanks God, National Novel Writing Month is Over.  Yup.  That’s the party Kim and I went to this afternoon.  We sat in a room with about twenty other NaNoWriters and their significant others and talked about what worked and what didn’t in our novel writing experiences.  We ate Mexican food, joked about “quotation” marks and misused apostrophe’s.  We glanced at the omnipresent televisions in the background and our choice of watching The Nutcracker on Ice, with the great Mice on Ice section, he-man carrying cars and kegs in some bizarre strong-man competition, or wiry men arm wrestling on what must have been the Arm Wresting Sports Network.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the ice was starting to form on the roads at home.  Our ride home was tense, with more slipping and sliding than I would have liked to have seen, yet we got home safely.  Now, we need to tune into WFSB and see if Darren Sweeney will declare a “snow day”.</p>
<p>There is a stereotype of novelists as being slightly eccentric and the lunch, at least for me helped reinforce that stereotype.  Between the jokes, you could here potential themes for more novels than novelists at the table.  It was great fun and inspirations for next year’s novel writing.  I hope some of you consider giving NaNoWriMo a try next year.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Random Things</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2619" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2619</id>
    <published>2007-11-23T21:33:24-05:00</published>
    <updated>2007-11-23T21:35:43-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="Connecticut" />
    <category term="Games" />
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <category term="Photos" />
    <category term="Politics" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>If it wasn’t for <a href=http://www.nablopomo.com/>National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)</a>, I might have taken today off and not put up a blog post.  But, there is something beneficial about trying to be disciplined in writing, so here is my blog post.  It is a collection of random things, of which there are plenty this Thanksgiving weekend.</p>
<p>NaBloPoMo takes its inspiration from <a href=http://www.nanowrimo.org>National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)</a>.  I wrote my 50,544 word first draft of a novel during the first 18 days of November.  I haven’t gone back to start editing it yet.  I will start that soon enough.  Miranda is back in town for the weekend.  Today, she went into New York City to see old friends from camp.  She is bringing copies of her novel, <a href=http://www.lulu.com/content/1003308>Subtle Differences</a> which she wrote last year and published at Lulu press.  She will then visit some old friends from school this evening and show them the novel.  (If you haven’t gone out and gotten a copy of her novel, please do.)  Today’s New London Day has an article about <a href=http://theday.com/re.aspx?re=bca6de31-949c-4d0f-949e-4fed4d146663>Connecticut participants in NaNoWriMo</a>.</p>
<p>For developments in the Avery Doninger case, I received to emails today.  One is the brief that was filed by the defendants.  I haven’t read it yet, but people close to the case who have read it suggests that it lacks verisimilitude.  Over at the Cool Justice Report, Andy Thibault has an article about <a href=http://cooljustice.blogspot.com/2007/11/schwartz-aruba-trip-postpones-foi.html>Paula Schwartz’s vacation to Aruba postponing an FOI hearing</a>.  In other Connecticut news, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz sent out an email today talking about the success of the “first general election since lever voting machines were decertified in July 2007”.  The email also listed the candidates that will be in on the Democratic primary ballot, “Joe Biden; Hillary Clinton; Chris Dodd; John Edwards; Mike Gravel; Dennis Kucinich; Barack Obama; Bill Richardson” </p>
<p>A lot has been going on in Second Life as well.  On Monday, I wrote about the <a href=http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2614>latest banking scandal in Second Life</a>.  I’ve watched the stock price of LNL fluctuate, and have been buying on the dips.  As a general rule, when bad news comes out, people sell in a frenzy.  The price drops, and then when people find the news isn’t as bad as everyone feared, the price bounces back.  We still don’t know how bad the news about LNL really is, but the price has started to come back and today, Tyrian Camilo wrote a long blog post about <a href=http://blog.sl-investors-bank.com/2007/11/22/the-bank-heists-of-weekend-how-did-slib-react-fast-and-how-there-was-no-financial-loss-at-all-for-slib/>the banking scandal</a> and how he dealt with it for his bank.</p>
<p>Also in Second Life, Xavier Mohr <a href=http://www.slcapex.com/home/story/SLR/1021>announced he was stepping as CEO of Second Life Reports</a>.  This brought about a lot of volatility in that stock.</p>
<p>Yet most of my day has been spent dealing with family stuff.  It started off by driving Mairead and her friend, Lauren, who is visiting for Thanksgiving to the train station.  Then, I dropped Miranda at a friend’s house so she could begin her travels.  Next stop was Dick and Leanne’s house.  I updated some firmware on my brother-in-law’s computer, tweaked Kim’s phone so she can send text, pictures and videos.   Then, it was time of an extended family hike.  You can see pictures on my <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/aldon/>Flickr account.</a></p>
<p>So, while I haven’t had a lot of time to think out a post shedding any great insights, I’ve sure got a lot of random things to talk about on this day after Thanksgiving.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>If it wasn’t for <a href=http://www.nablopomo.com/>National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)</a>, I might have taken today off and not put up a blog post.  But, there is something beneficial about trying to be disciplined in writing, so here is my blog post.  It is a collection of random things, of which there are plenty this Thanksgiving weekend.</p>
<p>NaBloPoMo takes its inspiration from <a href=http://www.nanowrimo.org>National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)</a>.  I wrote my 50,544 word first draft of a novel during the first 18 days of November.  I haven’t gone back to start editing it yet.  I will start that soon enough.  Miranda is back in town for the weekend.  Today, she went into New York City to see old friends from camp.  She is bringing copies of her novel, <a href=http://www.lulu.com/content/1003308>Subtle Differences</a> which she wrote last year and published at Lulu press.  She will then visit some old friends from school this evening and show them the novel.  (If you haven’t gone out and gotten a copy of her novel, please do.)  Today’s New London Day has an article about <a href=http://theday.com/re.aspx?re=bca6de31-949c-4d0f-949e-4fed4d146663>Connecticut participants in NaNoWriMo</a>.</p>
<p>For developments in the Avery Doninger case, I received to emails today.  One is the brief that was filed by the defendants.  I haven’t read it yet, but people close to the case who have read it suggests that it lacks verisimilitude.  Over at the Cool Justice Report, Andy Thibault has an article about <a href=http://cooljustice.blogspot.com/2007/11/schwartz-aruba-trip-postpones-foi.html>Paula Schwartz’s vacation to Aruba postponing an FOI hearing</a>.  In other Connecticut news, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz sent out an email today talking about the success of the “first general election since lever voting machines were decertified in July 2007”.  The email also listed the candidates that will be in on the Democratic primary ballot, “Joe Biden; Hillary Clinton; Chris Dodd; John Edwards; Mike Gravel; Dennis Kucinich; Barack Obama; Bill Richardson” </p>
<p>A lot has been going on in Second Life as well.  On Monday, I wrote about the <a href=http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2614>latest banking scandal in Second Life</a>.  I’ve watched the stock price of LNL fluctuate, and have been buying on the dips.  As a general rule, when bad news comes out, people sell in a frenzy.  The price drops, and then when people find the news isn’t as bad as everyone feared, the price bounces back.  We still don’t know how bad the news about LNL really is, but the price has started to come back and today, Tyrian Camilo wrote a long blog post about <a href=http://blog.sl-investors-bank.com/2007/11/22/the-bank-heists-of-weekend-how-did-slib-react-fast-and-how-there-was-no-financial-loss-at-all-for-slib/>the banking scandal</a> and how he dealt with it for his bank.</p>
<p>Also in Second Life, Xavier Mohr <a href=http://www.slcapex.com/home/story/SLR/1021>announced he was stepping as CEO of Second Life Reports</a>.  This brought about a lot of volatility in that stock.</p>
<p>Yet most of my day has been spent dealing with family stuff.  It started off by driving Mairead and her friend, Lauren, who is visiting for Thanksgiving to the train station.  Then, I dropped Miranda at a friend’s house so she could begin her travels.  Next stop was Dick and Leanne’s house.  I updated some firmware on my brother-in-law’s computer, tweaked Kim’s phone so she can send text, pictures and videos.   Then, it was time of an extended family hike.  You can see pictures on my <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/aldon/>Flickr account.</a></p>
<p>So, while I haven’t had a lot of time to think out a post shedding any great insights, I’ve sure got a lot of random things to talk about on this day after Thanksgiving.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>NaNoWriMo:  First Draft Finished, 50,544 words</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2613" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2613</id>
    <published>2007-11-19T12:21:37-05:00</published>
    <updated>2007-11-19T12:22:38-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Last night, at 10:37 PM, I finished the first draft of my novel for National Novel Writing month.  When I got close, I started getting cranky.  I was so close.  If I could just get time to write, without interruption, I would be done.  Yet it was the weekend.  We were on the road doing politics and visiting relatives.  I stole an hour here and an hour there.  When we got home last night, I was tired and feeling a little sick, but I powered through and finished my first write through.</p>
<p>As it stands right now, it is 50,544 words long.  It is desperate need of editing.  I suspect the editing will lengthen it a bit more as I add in descriptions and background that didn’t make it in the rush of the first write through.</p>
<p>Today, Fiona is home sick from school and I’m dragging.  I have emails to get through and a few technology tasks.  I will probably take it easy today, and start editing tomorrow, unless the call of the novel becomes overpowering.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Last night, at 10:37 PM, I finished the first draft of my novel for National Novel Writing month.  When I got close, I started getting cranky.  I was so close.  If I could just get time to write, without interruption, I would be done.  Yet it was the weekend.  We were on the road doing politics and visiting relatives.  I stole an hour here and an hour there.  When we got home last night, I was tired and feeling a little sick, but I powered through and finished my first write through.</p>
<p>As it stands right now, it is 50,544 words long.  It is desperate need of editing.  I suspect the editing will lengthen it a bit more as I add in descriptions and background that didn’t make it in the rush of the first write through.</p>
<p>Today, Fiona is home sick from school and I’m dragging.  I have emails to get through and a few technology tasks.  I will probably take it easy today, and start editing tomorrow, unless the call of the novel becomes overpowering.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Writing updates</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2611" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2611</id>
    <published>2007-11-17T14:18:15-05:00</published>
    <updated>2007-11-17T14:19:49-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <category term="Personal" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Saturday.  We've driven up to New Hampshire.  I have a blogging assignment tomorrow.  If everything works out as planned, I'll be gathering with a bunch of bloggers to interview Elizabeth Edwards tomorrow morning.  I'm very excited about speaking with her.  However, I'm also chomping at the bit to finish my novel.  I have 4,763 words to go.  This morning, we got off to a late start because I was in the middle of an exciting section.  I haven't slept well recently.  I toss and turn in bed as the characters act out their scenes for me.  I slept a little in the car on the ride up, but I'm still pretty tired.  Before I drifted off, I listened to a story on NPR.  They were interviewing an author and writing professor.  He talked about how writing a novel just takes over your life.  I've managed to keep other parts of my life in a little bit of balance as I've written through my novel, yet it has been consuming.  Soon, I'll be done with the write through and the editing will begin.  I expect that will be even more challenging.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I get feedback from friends.  I get a chance here and there to put up blog posts, and while I'm not officially doing National Blog Posting Month at the same time as I do National Novel Writing Month, but so far I'm getting at least one blog post up each day.  I was dubious about getting a post up today.  It may not be as compelling as some of my other posts, but at least I'm managing get a post up.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Saturday.  We've driven up to New Hampshire.  I have a blogging assignment tomorrow.  If everything works out as planned, I'll be gathering with a bunch of bloggers to interview Elizabeth Edwards tomorrow morning.  I'm very excited about speaking with her.  However, I'm also chomping at the bit to finish my novel.  I have 4,763 words to go.  This morning, we got off to a late start because I was in the middle of an exciting section.  I haven't slept well recently.  I toss and turn in bed as the characters act out their scenes for me.  I slept a little in the car on the ride up, but I'm still pretty tired.  Before I drifted off, I listened to a story on NPR.  They were interviewing an author and writing professor.  He talked about how writing a novel just takes over your life.  I've managed to keep other parts of my life in a little bit of balance as I've written through my novel, yet it has been consuming.  Soon, I'll be done with the write through and the editing will begin.  I expect that will be even more challenging.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I get feedback from friends.  I get a chance here and there to put up blog posts, and while I'm not officially doing National Blog Posting Month at the same time as I do National Novel Writing Month, but so far I'm getting at least one blog post up each day.  I was dubious about getting a post up today.  It may not be as compelling as some of my other posts, but at least I'm managing get a post up.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>I just killed someone</title>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2608" />
    <id>http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2608</id>
    <published>2007-11-15T13:50:05-05:00</published>
    <updated>2007-11-15T13:51:47-05:00</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Aldon Hynes</name>
    </author>
    <category term="Games" />
    <category term="NaNoWriMo" />
    <summary type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Yes, I worried about whether or not it would come to this.  I’ve been struggling with my novel and in my frustration, I killed someone.  It was an accident.  He was driving home from football practice and I caused him to drive off the road.</p>
<p>It provides a minor subplot that will help me reach the 50,000 words, and actually works well to help develop the characters and set things up for the culmination of the novel.</p>
<p>When I went to my first NaNoWriMo write-in, I was given a cheat sheet.  “NaNoWriMo Novel Rescue Companion”.  It lists six different things to do in case of a plot emergency.  I didn’t really have a plot emergency, it’s just the accident happened.  It moves the story along, and fills up the pages.  It is close to the first plot emergency idea.</p>
<p>“Give one of your characters a fatal illness.”  Okay.  It wasn’t a fatal illness.  That just wouldn’t have worked.  It was a car accident.  It was a minor character that I introduced and killed off all in the same chapter.</p>
<p>“Add a talking animal to your novel.”  Well, my novel takes place, in part, in Second Life.  One of the key characters avatar is a ‘furry’ in Second Life.  That is about as close to a talking animal that I can get to in my novel.</p>
<p>“Have one of your characters suddenly discover that they are a superhero.”  Well, everyone in Second Life can fly and can teleport.  Not quite superheroes, but as close as I can get.</p>
<p>“Have one of your characters suddenly become naked.”  Well, there are scenes in the mature regions of Second Life.  I’ve got that covered, or I guess I had better say, uncovered.</p>
<p>I’ve now broken 35,000 words, so I’m hoping that with events leading up to the conclusion and all that will happen there, I won’t have any other plot emergencies.  The last two suggestions I just can see using.</p>
    ]]></summary>
    <content type="html"><![CDATA[<p>Yes, I worried about whether or not it would come to this.  I’ve been struggling with my novel and in my frustration, I killed someone.  It was an accident.  He was driving home from football practice and I caused him to drive off the road.</p>
<p>It provides a minor subplot that will help me reach the 50,000 words, and actually works well to help develop the characters and set things up for the culmination of the novel.</p>
<p>When I went to my first NaNoWriMo write-in, I was given a cheat sheet.  “NaNoWriMo Novel Rescue Companion”.  It lists six different things to do in case of a plot emergency.  I didn’t really have a plot emergency, it’s just the accident happened.  It moves the story along, and fills up the pages.  It is close to the first plot emergency idea.</p>
<p>“Give one of your characters a fatal illness.”  Okay.  It wasn’t a fatal illness.  That just wouldn’t have worked.  It was a car accident.  It was a minor character that I introduced and killed off all in the same chapter.</p>
<p>“Add a talking animal to your novel.”  Well, my novel takes place, in part, in Second Life.  One of the key characters avatar is a ‘furry’ in Second Life.  That is about as close to a talking animal that I can get to in my novel.</p>
<p>“Have one of your characters suddenly discover that they are a superhero.”  Well, everyone in Second Life can fly and can teleport.  Not quite superheroes, but as close as I can get.</p>
<p>“Have one of your characters suddenly become naked.”  Well, there are scenes in the mature regions of Second Life.  I’ve got that covered, or I guess I had better say, uncovered.</p>
<p>I’ve now broken 35,000 words, so I’m hoping that with events leading up to the conclusion and all that will happen there, I won’t have any other plot emergencies.  The last two suggestions I just can see using.<br />
&lt;!--break--></p>
    ]]></content>
  </entry>
</feed>
